Here are a few few more after the last set of terms about literature, academia, etc. Maybe more in the future.
Alcohol: Drug of choice for many writers, professors, and students, especially as beverages such as beer, wine, and cocktails are accessible at parties, bars, and even some places on campus. Drinks often serve as a social lubricant, often facilitating disastrous events and a breakdown of health. The mentioned demographic is also tragically attracted to booze as they see imbibing as very writerly, though it has caused the demise of Raymond Carver, Jack Kerouac, and Dylan Thomas, just to name a few.
Art house films: An all encompassing category of cinema covering independent, foreign, gay and lesbian (and transgender and all that’s in between, literary adaptations/period pieces done by Merchant Ivory, and “literary” movies such as those by Ingmar Bergman. While not officially part of most humanity curricula, there’s a general expectation that professors and students alike eschew mainstream films, such as pointless thrillers and action films.
Bukowski, Charles: Poet and novelist whose barfly persona has inspired many fledgling writers to emulate his alcoholic lifestyle. Unlike many of his literary, cross-generation disciples, Bukowski had a highly developed work ethic. See alchohol.
Café/Coffeehouse: An establishment for serving coffee. The coffee drinking public often buys few drinks, hangs around the coffeehouse for hours on end, and expects things for free, like wireless service for their laptops and smart phones. Traditionally, patrons either spend long hours reading, studying, working, having conversation, or all of the above. it’s the type of enterprise where the only the hardiest of entrepeneurs survive. Also, it comes in handy to know pretentious Italian names for drinks.
Coffee: Day drug of choice for many writers, professors and students, mainly because it’s legal and keeps one alert for study and writing. Definitely an integral part of academic and literary cultures as it helps facilitate conversation (somewhat) and serves as a handy prop for studying in a noisy environment. Like most things associated with the two cultures, definitely an acquired taste, even with cream and sugar.
Conservatism: A disagreeable political philosophy protected by the First Amendment. Students expressing such views find that their free-speech loving profs often want to censure them in some way, the most easiest way being lower grades. Some students have been known to strike back, most notably through The Dartmouth Review. However, young conservatives often are spoiled brats and disgruntled bullies.
Democratic Party: Major American political party favored by professors and students alike, despite its pussyfooting around with significant issues calling out for reform. Essentially a conservative in liberal’s clothing.
The Elements of Style. The little book that started grammar snobbery in the 20th century, responsible for strangled prose as writers since then have struggled to conform to the contradictory messages contained within.
English/Comparative Literature major (graduate): The same definition applies to them as the undergraduate English majors, but these Masters degree and PhD students are English professors and literary critics in training.
Film Department/Film School: Like the MFA creative writing program, a niche industry in academia for exploiting budding film makers and script writers, who’ll later hawk their wares while waiting tables in LA restaurants. This is not covered in the curriculum.
Foucault, Michel: An oft-quoted and referred to French philosopher no one knows anything about. Invoking Foucault’s name is the magic spell to give an intellectual hack in any field (especially the humanities) an air of authority.
Frat boys: The bane of an English (or other humanities’) professor‘s existence as they represent conformity, philistinism, and every thing else is wrong with America at the moment. Oh, they all look alike and they’re spoiled brats too.
Freedom of Speech: That only exists for professors and their half-baked ideas, not students. The hacks would be fired if it weren’t for the likes of the ACLU.
Liberalism: Liberals are often hard-pressed to define the ideas they subscribe to, except that conservatives are evil and somehow must be stopped. Liberal students, like their conservative counterparts, are often spoiled brats and are trained to treat conservatives with condescension (which is a form of bullying).
Marxism/Socialism: Historically misunderstood political philosophy authored by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, feared by ultra-conservative middle-class Americans and championed by young, well-educated middle-class Americans who truly have no idea what it’s like to be poor and/or working class. Privileged students ungrateful for all the sacrifices their parents (who could be yachting or traveling or somehow enjoy their tax-freed income) made for them to be in school usually become Marxists, hoping to maintain their place of privilege in case the revolution truly is televised.
TA: A lowly paid teaching assistant assigned to professor teaching large lecture courses. The professor will pontificate about anything in addition to assigned reading while his or her TA’s must make sure the kids actually learn something and grade their work. The work burro of academia if there ever was one.
GTA/Teaching Fellow: Graduate teaching associate or teaching fellow gaining practical professorial experience as the professors, but at a pay scale similar to the TA‘s. The hope that they’ll someday become well-paid professors themselves sustains them through their self-imposed poverty in graduate school.
Virginia Woolf: An English novelist, essayist, and a long sentence writer who can put William Faulkner to shame, famous for her stylish prose and for whining about wanting a room of her own.
